Foreman will serve as interim VP for diversity, equity and inclusion

Margo Foreman head shot

Margo Foreman

Assistant vice president for diversity and inclusion and equal opportunity Margo Foreman will serve as interim vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, beginning July 17 and pending approval by the state Board of Regents.

Vice president Reginald Stewart, who has accepted a similar position at Chapman University in Orange, California, completes five-plus years of service at Iowa State July 16.

Sharing the appointment in a July 8 memo to her cabinet members, President Wendy Wintersteen also announced a national search for Stewart's permanent successor. Senior vice president for student affairs Toyia Younger will lead a 10-member search committee, and the university will contract with a national search firm to help develop the candidate pool.

"I am pleased that Margo has agreed to serve as interim vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion," Wintersteen wrote. "I am confident Margo will excel in this critically important role as we continue to advance our university priority of having an inclusive campus environment where everyone feels welcome, supported, and valued."

Foreman arrived at Iowa State in April 2016 to serve as director of equal opportunity and Title IX coordinator and oversee the office of equal opportunity. She has held her current title since November 2017.

For five years, Wintersteen noted, Foreman has worked with students, faculty and staff across campus to enhance Iowa State's campus culture. She leads the team that ensures the university's compliance with federal, state and local laws on antidiscrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title IX, and investigates complaints of discrimination and sexual misconduct.

Before coming to Iowa State, Foreman served for 17 years in the equal opportunity office at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, including as associate director.

National search

Joining Younger on the search committee are:

  • Pete Englin, associate vice president for campus life and director of residence
  • Carmen Flagge, director of multicultural student success, College of Human Sciences student services 
  • Alejandra Flores Renteria, director of diversity and inclusion, Student Government
  • Carmen Gomes, associate professor of mechanical engineering and chair of the Faculty Senate equity, diversity and inclusion committee
  • Michael Newton, associate vice president for public safety and chief of police
  • Mike Norton, university counsel
  • Charles Small, senior associate athletics director
  • David Spalding, dean of the Ivy College of Business and interim vice president for economic development and industry relations
  • Zhengyuan Zhu, professor of statistics and director of the Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology

Rose Wilbanks, executive assistant to Younger, will provide administrative support to the committee.